3 Articles
3.6 The zero article (2)
3.6A Zero article for parts of the day ('at dawn') and for meals ('for lunch')
[> LEG 3.28.1-2]1 Parts of the day and night: We use no article when we refer to parts of the day and night:
at dawn/daybreak, at sunrise/sunset/noon/night, by day/night,
at/by/before/after/till 4 o'clock: We left at dawn.
But compare: I've never seen a dawn like it! I got up early to admire the dawn.2 Meals: We use no article with words like: breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner, supper.
Dinner is served. He's at lunch. Let's have breakfast.
But compare: The breakfast I ordered still hasn't arrived, (a specific reference)
That was a very nice dinner, (simple description [> 3.1 C])Write:3.6B
Study:
Ш*}Supply a/an, the or '-'.1 We're setting off at — sunrise.
2 We must be home before midnight.
3 I'm often wide awake at night.
4 We reached the village before sunset.
5 lunch I ordered was burnt.6 We're invited to the Smiths for lunch.
7 Let's have breakfast on the terrace.
8 Do you always have tea at four?
9 We've come here to see sunset.
10 J. had •••• rüce lunch at the Ritz.Zero article for e.g. 'She's at school' and 'He's in hospital'
[> LEG 3.28.3, Apps 21-23]1 We use no article in front of nouns like school and hospital in phrases like to school, at school,
in hospital when we are referring to their normal purpose:
Jane's gone to school. Jane's at school, (to learn); John's in hospital, (he's ill)
(Not *Jane's gone to the school. * *Jane's at the school. * *John's in the hospital. *)
Other nouns like this are: bed, church, class, college, prison, sea, town, university, work.
For the use of to, at and in with these nouns [> 8.2А]. For home [> 8.2A, Ю.2С].2 We use the or a/an with these nouns when we are not referring to their 'purpose':
Jane's gone to the school for a meeting. There's a meeting at the school.
Norton High is a very good school. I'm going to make the bed.3 Nouns which are not part of this special group behave in the usual way:
My wife's at the office, (perhaps to work); They are at the mosque, (perhaps to pray)
John's in the kitchen, (perhaps to prepare a meal) [> 3.4A]
My wife's firm has an office in Edinburgh. (Not *My wife's firm has office* [> 3.1 C])Write: Supply a/an, the or '-'.1 I'm really tired and I'm going to ....— bed.
2 Your shoes are under bed.
3 Tim's been in bed for hours.
4 We've bought lovely new bed.
5 We took some photos outside church.
6 We always go to church on Sunday.
7 Have you ever worked in factory?
8 Susan's in class at the moment.9 My father went to sea when he was 14.
10 When do you hope to go to university?
11 Martha's been taken to hospital.
12 How long will she be in hospital?
13 There's a strike at hospital.
14 We've got fine new hospital.
15 When do you get home from office?
16 John's at work at the moment.